


Keeper of Daylight

by ChibiYtora



Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Changelings, Magic, Merlin is a Little Shit, Nerdy Talk, Not nearly enough magic in this show and I don't have the patience to wait, Other resources for the Trollhunter, Season One Compliant, Wizards, geology talk, get that boy some therapy gosh, gotta love them rocks yo, keepers, some mild swearing, ummm more tags once I figure out what to add
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-06-13 17:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15369894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiYtora/pseuds/ChibiYtora
Summary: "Keeper," he greeted with a nod of his head."Trollhunter," she greeted in response, bowing."I do not carry that honor."For a moment, she did not move. "You are Draal, son of Kanjigar, correct?""I am."Thoughts raced through her head. "If you are not the Trollhunter, why are you here, and he is not?""Our Trollhunter, a human by the name of Jim Lake, has gone into the Darklands to face Gunmar. His trainer never told him about the Keepers. We were hoping…" He trailed off, seeming to think on his next words. "We were hoping you might be able to help us bring him back, if he still lives."Exhaustion sank into her along with his words. "Well fuck."***Started this after season One, but I am working things from the following seasons, as well as some of the book stuff, into this. I feel there was not nearly a strong enough magical presence in this series. Had to fix it~





	1. One - An Unused Resource

A week had passed since Jim had gone into the Darklands. Well, nearly a week. Six days, seven hours, and twenty-four minutes. Each minute that ticked by meant another minute of worry and fear for the team the Trollhunter had left behind. They'd figured out how to hide his disappearance from his mother, but it would never be the same.

 

Blinky had spent almost every waking moment trying to figure out how to reopen the bridge, and how to bring Arrrgh back. It tore at his heart, losing both Jim and Arrrgh at once. He forced himself to believe both could be saved - the scholar honestly didn't know what he would do if they couldn't be recovered.

 

But he was at a loss. So many dead ends. So few leads. So many books, but so little information…

 

This was how Draal found Blinky - forlornly beating his face against an open book on his desk, chanting 'nothing useful' in a sad, soft voice. The warrior stared for a moment, before shaking his head, and walking up to Blinky's desk. When he had stood there for a minute, without any sort of acknowledgement, he reached out, and put his hands heavily on the desk.

 

Blinky jumped, letting out a yelp as his six eyes, heavy from lack of sleep, fixed on Draal, who had an unusually unreadable expression on his face. "Draal! I thought you were on bridge duty! What's wrong? Is it open? Has Jim come back? Has-"

 

Draal raised his non-mechanical hand, cutting off the next question. "No, the Trollhunter has not returned, the bridge is not open, and Claire took over for her shift a few hours ago. There was something I needed to ask you, and I have been trying to figure out how for…some time now."

 

Blinky eyed the younger troll, contemplating. The look on Draal's face was odd - uncomfortable, yet determined. A look he could not recall having ever seen before on the troll. "What is it, Draal?" he asked quietly, wondering what on earth could be going through the warrior's head.

 

Draal glanced towards the doorway, before asking in a low tone, "Did you ever tell the Trollhunter of the…resource available to him?"

 

Blinky sat up straight. Was Draal asking about - but he shouldn't know… "To what resource do you refer?"

 

"You _know_ of what I speak. Of _whom_." The edge of the larger trolls mouth curled up ever so slightly. "Before you ask, my father told me, when it was assumed I would be the next hunter."

 

Blinkly let out a slow exhale. "Perhaps because the last Trollhunter I trained, when told about that particular _resource_ , died his first night out trying to protect her. Why do you ask?"

 

Draal gave him a calculating look. "So to protect him, you did not tell him of the Keepers?"

 

"Well, you seem to know of them as well. Why didn't _you_ ever say anything to the boy about it?"

 

Draal looked surprised. "I thought _you_ had… and the Trollhunter had either not sought his out, or had kept them a secret, as my father had."

 

Both stared at each other for a moment, stunned expressions on both their faces. It was nearly five minutes before either of them spoke.

 

"Great Gorgus, I have been so foolish! What have I done?!" Blinky wailed, banging  his head on the desk. He jumped up, rushing around the library. "Is it possible to contact them still? Oh, we are well outside the first month window mentioned in-"

 

Draal's hand on Blinky's shoulder stopped the four-armed troll in his tracks. "Do not fret, my friend. I know where to find them. I will go, and hopefully bring us a new ally to aid us in bringing our Trollhunter from the Darklands."

 

***

 

The trip on the Gyre had been relatively short, taking Draal to a mountainous area on the east coast. Directions given to him many years ago by his father floated through his head. Would he have come here all those months ago, if _he_ had been chosen by the amulet? In his youth, Draal had thought he wouldn't need the help of a human, if he was chosen.

 

Though it was nearly midday, Draal made great progress above ground, covered by the heavy shade of the dense mountain forest. By his calculations,  the place he was looking for should be very close. He stopped, inhaling deeply to take in the scents around him. He caught a hint of what he was searching for - yes, he was going the right way. With luck, he would find the Keeper and be back in Trollmarket before nightfall.

 

He continued through the trees for several more minutes, before coming upon a clearing. Well, if one could call it that. A small human dwelling sat surrounded by what looked like a garden, with a few feet of clear ground before the tree line took over. With the gap between the trees and dwelling, there was enough sunlight that Draal could not leave the cover of the forest. He swore softly, impatience taking hold.

 

***

 

She felt a shift in the magical barriers around her house, and cracked open an eye. Very few people could get through the barrier - all of them were important enough that she would have to get up and see what was going on. She was too tired to deal with this right now.

 

Especially after the week she'd just had. She groaned, sitting up in her bed as whoever it was stopped at the tree line.

 

So. Her visitor wasn't human. That narrowed down the already short list to a list of exactly _one_ possible visitor. Apprehension and joy flooded through her for an instant, before being taken over by anger, only to give out to exhaustion. She took her time getting up and dressed, but hesitated before leaving her bedroom. After debating for a moment, she put her long, hooded robes over her clothing.

 

 _'Might as well follow formalities'_ she thought, pulling the hood over her head,  feeling the magic from the robes obscure her face in darkness. _'Might even hide how tired I am.'_

 

She opened the door to her bedroom, stepping out into her living room. Her eyes fell on a figure outside the window, sheltering in the trees near the house. She walked to her front door, pausing with her hand on the doorknob.

 

This was it.

 

She opened the door, watching through the veil of magic as the troll once described to her several years ago stared at her. Walking slowly, she approached him, stopping with only several inches of sun separating them. She looked him over, noting both the lack of armor and the look of both awe and surprise as he regarded her.

 

"Keeper," he greeted with a nod of his head.

 

"Trollhunter," she greeted in response, bowing.

 

"I do not carry that honor."

 

For a moment, she did not move. "You are Draal, son of Kanjigar, correct?"

 

"I am."

 

Thoughts raced through her head. "If you are not the Trollhunter, why are you here, and he is not?"

 

"Our Trollhunter, a human by the name of Jim Lake, has gone into the Darklands to face Gunmar. His trainer never told him about the Keepers. We were hoping…" He trailed off, seeming to think on his next words. "We were hoping you might be able to help us bring him back, if he still lives."

 

Exhaustion sank into her along with his words. "Well _fuck_." The words tumbled from her lips before she realized they were out. Draal stared at her, unsure how to react. After several seconds, she turned, heading back to the house. She waved a hand, and the trees nearest the house seemed to bend, shading a path to the door. "Come on in, Draal. I'm gonna need some more info about what's going on."


	2. Two - Breaking Tradition

Once inside, Draal was surprised that it was fairly easy for him to move around - everything seemed to be spaced with trolls in mind. He took a seat on the couch at the Keeper's insistence, and a wicker basket full of lightbulbs was placed in front of him. His eyebrows rose in surprise - lightbulbs were his favorite snack. Before he could ask about this, she sat down in the chair across from him.

 

"I need to know everything that has happened since the amulet chose the Trollhunter," she stated. Draal observed her for a moment. Despite the Keepers face still being obscured by darkness, her body language suggested that she was exhausted - perhaps even injured. She must have noticed him studying her, because she added, "I will answer your questions after you tell me of my Trollhunter."

 

So he began at the beginning - it took him nearly three hours to recount all that had transpired. At some point, a troll-sized mug had appeared on the table next to the lightbulb basket (he had no idea what the drink was, but it was delicious). She hadn't asked questions the entire time, and once he stopped, silence filled the air between them.

 

Then, she stood. She lowered her hood and took off her robes, the magic obscuring her face fading away as she tossed the robes across the back of her chair.

 

Draal could honestly say the appearance of the Keeper was not what he had expected. Well, he didn't know what he had been expecting, to be honest. But a human female, smaller than the Trollhunter, and looking about the same age? He had figured an older human, at least.

 

"My name is Naomi," she supplied as she sat back down, tugging at the sleeves of her shirt, as if she was making sure to cover something. "Sorry for not disclosing that sooner, but as you are not the Trollhunter, yet still made it to my house, I had to be sure of your intentions." Her tired, brown eyes studied him for a moment. "Kanjigar told you about Keepers, didn't he? Always was one to bend the rules as he saw fit."

 

"You…knew my father?" Draal asked, surprised. Naomi nodded.

 

"My grandmother was Keeper when he was Trollhunter. I saw him a handful of times when I was younger. Got into a few arguments with him. Last time I saw him, he was in the process of saving my life." She answered. She ran a hand through her hair, letting out a sigh. "You said the Trollhunter has been in the Darklands for a week. How many of your kind know you have come to me for help?"

 

"Just Blinkous, his trainer."

 

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I will need access to Trollmarket to see the Bridge, you realize. You'll be breaking tradition by bringing a Keeper into the halls of a Heartstone."

 

"With Jim as Trollhunter, a lot of traditions have been broken. Several, perhaps, for the better." He regarded her with a serious expression. "Are you injured? You seem unwell."

 

Naomi frowned. "My magical core is currently recovering from a severe drain. I'll be back to acceptable levels within the next day, and if I don't do anything to strenuous, I'll be back to full strength in about three. If I do nothing but sleep, I can probably cut that down to about a day and a half. And no, you don't need to know why it was drained."

 

Draal nodded, tossing the last two lightbulbs into his mouth. "When will you be ready to leave?" he asked.

 

"As much as I would like to say right now, realistically, I need to recover more before I go anywhere. I feel…uncomfortable going into a possibly hostile environment - hear me out, and I mean the Darklands, not Trollmarket - without at least half of my magic available. It puts both myself and the Trollhunter at risk." She stood, stretching. "I need at least nine more hours of sleep. You're welcome to wait here, in my house. If you go downstairs, I've got my workshop, you're welcome to poke around. There's a training room down there as well. Or you can wonder around outside, whatever floats your goat."

 

"I do not have a goat, Keeper," was his confused response.

 

"Figure of speech, Draal. I'm going to go sleep. See you when I get up. Feel free to munch on whatever you find. I know what troll appetites are like."

 

Draal watched as she went into the bedroom and closed the door. He looked around, before deciding to seek the training room Naomi had mentioned.

 

***

 

Once he descended the stairs, it had taken almost three hours to make it to the training room. The contents of the workroom had been…very unexpected. The room itself was nearly half the size of the Hero's Forge, with two walls covered floor to ceiling in packed full bookshelves. The other walls had shelves covered in a mix of gemstones, minerals, and potions. Equipment and workbenches were scattered across the room. But those books…

 

Draal recognized many of the books on one wall - the same titles had been in his father's library, which he admittedly hadn't had the heart to return to since Kanjigar's death. The second wall seemed to be covered in magic-related books, save the bottom shelf. 'Textbooks'… educational material, according to Jim, Toby, and Claire. There were also several gemstone and mineral texts, which he raised an eyebrow at.

 

The potions he paid no mind to - spell work and potions were never something that had interested Draal. But all the gemstones and minerals! They were wonderfully organized, and each gem was cut with Troll-like precision. Rather impressed, he marveled at them as he slowly walked the wall, only stopping at he reached the doorway leading to the training room.

 

Once in the training room (which, he noted, was almost as big as the Forge was), Draal stared at the assortment of weapons on the walls. A grin spread across his face as he debated which to use first. He had plenty of time - perhaps he'd work through all of them.

 

***

 

Several hours later, Draal had worked his way through almost all the weapons. He hung a large axe back on the wall, and reached for the staff nearby.

 

"I wouldn't touch that one if I were you. It's very picky about who can wield it."

 

Draal turned, startled to see the Keeper walking into the room. She was pulling her robes up over her shoulders, and he noted that she looked much better than when she had retired. He could even see magic pulsing around her as she walked. She finished buttoning up her robes, stopping a few feet from the troll. "You have regained enough of your core?"

 

She grinned, her brown eyes lighting up. "Almost twenty hours of sleep will do that, you know. I half expected you to come banging on my door to get me up."

 

Shock coursed through Draal. He had been down here almost a full day? "I did not realize…" She waved a hand dismissively.

 

"It's fine. Probably a good thing anyway, with what's going on. I'll be ready to go in a minute. I just want to make sure I have anything I might need. Give me about…three minutes? To pack up my workroom, and then we can go." She turned, and Draal followed her as she walked from the training room to the workroom. She set a small box on the floor, and made a pattern he didn't quite catch in the air with her left hand. The magic around her body coiled tight, before spreading throughout the room, touching every object. In just over a minute, the entire workroom was empty, having all been shrunk down and drawn into the box. Naomi locked the box, it shrinking in her hands as she slid it into a pocket. She glanced at Draal, noting that he wasn't as surprised as she expected.

 

"Kanjigar told you a lot about Keepers, didn't he? You don't seem phased at all by what my magic can do."

 

Draal shrugged, and began walking towards the stairs. "My father made it clear that Keepers were a magical balance to the amulet. The stronger the magic in the Keeper, the more likely the Trollhunter would survive. He was Trollhunter for over three hundred years, and you say your grandmother was his Keeper. It only makes sense that your magic would be strong, as hers must have been."

 

*** 

 

They traveled quickly, reaching the Gyre station in almost no time. Minutes later, they were at the station at Trollmarket, and as they exited the Gyre, Draal noticed the hood of the robes and the obscuring darkness once again covered the Keeper's face.

 

Though not known for being the smartest troll around, Draal was no fool. He knew something wasn't right the moment he stepped out into the market. He ducked into a nearby alcove, Naomi following him.

 

"What is it?" She asked quietly, as he peered out into the main market.

 

"The Kurbera are here. Something feels very wrong," he answered. Draal felt a shift in the air behind him, and glanced back to find not the Keeper, but only air.

 

"I'm still here, Draal," came her voice from the space. "Just probably easier for you to walk around if you aren't trying to hide me, right? Lead the way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say hello and thank you to everyone that's taken an interest in this story! :D It gives me warm fuzzies to see people enjoying my work. <3


	3. Three - Creeper Sun

As Draal approached Blinky's library, They watched as Vendel left, followed by Usurna. Blinky, Claire, and Toby fell silent as Draal entered, worry written on all of their faces.

 

"Draal! You have returned! Was your mission successful?" Blinky asked hopefully. Draal nodded as he felt the magically hidden Naomi move to the far side of the room, where Aargh's sun-turned body stood.

 

"Yes. Why is Usurna here? What has happened in my absence?"

 

Claire and Toby both started talking at once.

 

"She said Jim endangered everyone-"

 

"-they want to get rid of the bridge-"

 

"-she says Jim is probably dead-"

 

"-Gunmar can open the bridge with the amulet-"

 

"-they're gonna get rid of the bridge for good-"

 

A snort from an invisible source suddenly put both the teenage humans on edge, both drawing their weapons. Blinky looked warily from Draal to the spot where the sound had come from. Blinky, Toby, and Claire all gasped as a short figure in black, hooded robes materialized in front of Arrgh.

 

"Usurna's full of it. The Trollhunter isn't dead."

 

"Who are you?" Clair demanded, as Toby shrieked "How did you get in here?!"

 

The figure turned to them, and bowed. "I am Naomi, Keeper of Daylight. Draal brought me here."

 

Blinky stared at Naomi in awe and confusion. "But…no Keeper has come to the halls of a Heartstone in centuries! There are magics in place-"

 

"-to keep humans that have not sworn on a Heartstone piece with magical powers descended from the Big Three out, yes. You must be Blinky." Naomi stepped up to him, bowing slightly. "I will answer any questions you have, as long as you show the same curtesy. Draal has told me of the events that have transpired since the last Choosing, so no need to tell me about that." She turned back to Arrrgh, examining him as she spoke, "And before you ask, I am not entirely human."

 

"A changeling?" Blinky demanded. "A Keeper _Changeling_? Why I never-"

 

"Four Keepers in the past have been changelings, don't try to play dumb with me. It's most of the reason the Keepers were looked down upon. But no, I am not a changeling. My grandfather, however, was. But my genetics aren't really important right now, are they? Why do you have a statue of a former Gumm-Gumm general in this room?"

 

"That's Arrrgh, he's not a statue, he was killed by Angor Rot's Creeper Sun knife." Toby answered, hammer still raised for attack. "You said Jim wasn't dead? How do you know?"

 

"Because a Keeper dies when their Trollhunter dies." She answered softly, running a hand over Arrgh's face. "Is there a reason you haven't cured 'Arrgh' as you called him? Or was he dead before the blade struck?"

 

The room went very still.

 

"Creeper Sun is uncurable," Blinky answered in a slow, sad voice.

 

"It's definitely not. I mean, there aren't _many_ was to cure it or anything, but I know of at least three, depending on the type of Creeper Sun. And if Angor Rot never switched the formula for the coating he used on his blades, it makes it even easier to create the antidote."

 

Toby leaned close to Blinky, confusion on his face. "I thought Vendel said -"

 

On the table before them, the Amulet pulsed blue, silencing the whole room. It floated into the air, before beginning to fly around in circles.

 

"It is…it is choosing another! Oh, _no_ , Master Jim-"

 

Panic and confusion filled the room as the amulet landed on the Arrrgh statue's chest, a hissing collection of voices chanting 'the troll is key' whispering from the amulet.

 

"Draal."

 

Draal glanced to his right to see Naomi now standing next to him. He hadn't seen her move from Arrrgh's side. "Yes, Keeper?"

 

"I have a feeling they won't listen to me right now. Is there a place I could work on putting a cure together? Somewhere no one will bother me, as I _really_ don't want to deal with the whole 'human in the market' thing. Was anyone else damaged the same way?"

 

Draal looked to the panicking group surrounding Arrrgh, then back to Naomi, before gesturing towards the door. As soon as they were outside of Blinky's library, Draal headed for the far side of the Market. He nodded as he passed various trolls, keeping quiet until they came upon a lone door pretty far from the Heartstone. Draal pushed inside, closing the door once Naomi was visible again.

 

"Seven others were also felled by Angor Rot's blade. Only four were left unbroken, including Arrrgh. No one should bother you here - I am the only one to come to my father's library these days. Even so, I shall stand guard while you work."

 

Naomi lowered her hood, her brown eyes searching Draal's face. "You…are much calmer than your friends."

 

Draal smirked. "I understand more about the bond between a Trollhunter and his Keeper. Though _I_ was not chosen by the amulet, I am honored to fight by the side of the one it _did_ choose. I would much like to see him return from the Darklands alive."

 

Pulling the shrunken chest out of her pocket, Naomi gave him a thoughtful look. She opened her mouth to say something, only to close it again. She unshrunk the chest, setting it in the middle of the room. "I will let you know when I am ready. I will be as quick as I can, but it will probably take a few hours."

 

Draal nodded, stepping out to take up his position guarding the door.

 

***

 

Vendel knew something was off in Heartstone Trollmarket. He could feel it in his horns. There was an unfamiliar stir of magic in the air. Once he managed to shake off Usurna (a task which had taken far too long in his opinion), he began to follow the magical trail. It was very difficult to pick up, but Vendel was not some unlearned _whelp_ , and after a few minutes of focusing, he found himself headed to the far side of Trollmarket, in the direction of Kanjigar's rooms.

 

While he wasn't exactly surprised to find Draal, he _was_ surprised to find the blue troll _outside_ the rooms. He was also surprised that the magical trail lead _into_ the rooms that, if Vendal wasn't mistaken, Draal was guarding.

 

"Draal," Vendal greeted, stopping before the troll. Oh, yes, the younger troll was definitely hiding something, the tension in the air could be cut with a blade. "I was told you left on a mission, and yet I find you here. Surely anything that would lead you hear would be _inside_ Kanjigar's library, not outside."

 

Draal forced himself to remain calm. Vendel's arrival could be terrible…or a blessing. He would have to be very careful with his answers - if only he had Blinky's way with words.

 

"What I sought was not in the library, though I have brought it here."

 

"Draal," Vendel's voice held a note of warning, "what have you done? And keep in mind, I followed the magic all the way from the Gyre station."

 

Draal knew he had to do something drastic. "I need your word you will hear us out before I tell you."

 

'Us'. Oh Sweet Deya, what had this foolish troll done?

 

***

 

Vendel stared at the figure in robes sitting on the floor with her back to the door as she seemed to not notice their presence.

 

"Let me get this right, Draal. You decided to replace our fleshbag Trollhunter with a fleshbag wizard."

 

"No. I brought the Trollhunter's Keeper to help rescue him." Draal gave him a sideways glance. "Before you ask, Blinky never told our Trollhunter of the Keepers."

 

"Let me guess, your father did not fail to tell _you_ , did he? What is she doing?"

 

" _I_ am almost done putting together four Creeper Sun cures, as you all seemed to think it was permadeath, when it definitely isn't," the human on the floor answered, looking over her shoulder. "Also, I prefer sorceress, not wizard."

 

Vendel regarded her, thoughts racing through his old head. Perhaps this was what Trollmarket needed - the human Trollhunter had proven that sometimes, they needed to let go of what was tradition, or even normal. Maybe…maybe Draal had done the right thing, bringing this human here. _If_ she was who she claimed to be.

 

"If I may interrupt, I have a few questions for you, if you are indeed a Keeper," Vendel walked forwards as she stood up, her form so much smaller than his own. In a move that shocked him, she took off her gloves, and placed her hands on his staff.

 

"I am Naomi, granddaughter of Sabina, Keeper of Kanjigar. I now hold the powers of Keeper, though apparently no one saw fit to tell my Trollhunter, whom I have yet to meet, of my existence. I live to serve the Trollhunter, my powers, my life, my very existence is a tool designed for him to wield as he sees fit. I am the granddaughter of a changeling, and descended not only from Merlin, but  the Pale Lady, the Pale Prince, and the White Lady as well. I am here to help recover my Trollhunter from the Darklands, nothing more, as I don't feel a particular inclination to die." She let go of the staff, sat back down, and began working again.

 

Vendel stood, frozen, for almost a solid minute. Then, he turned to leave, gesturing for Draal to follow. Once out of the room, Vendal hit Draal over the head with the staff.

 

"You are a fool, Draal, son of Kanjigar! But," he paused, thoughtful, "but, perhaps, this was a brilliant idea. Do not let Usurna find out. I must go speak with Blinkous."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaah I'm sooo excited that so many people are enjoying this! It really brightens my day to see comments and kudos. Also people trying to figure out how the plot might go. <3 I hope you all continue to enjoy~


	4. Four - Just a little Q&A

"Blinkous Galadrigal, care to explain why I just found Draal outside his father's library?"

 

Vendel's voice cut through the sound of what could be described as frantic research as he stepped through the doorway, startling the three occupants with his inquiry.

 

"That is a foolish place for him, he's already read all of Kanjigar's books," was Blinky's reply as he looked up from the text in front of him. Vendel let a smirk cross his face, causing unease to raise in Blinky's mind.

 

"I am surprised at you. A sorceress sits in that library, brewing Creeper Sun cures, while you all sit here, most likely looking for the same." Toby and Claire started speaking at the same time, and Vendel held up a hand, demanding silence. "Yes, _I_ did not know of a cure. I don't know _everything_. She is a reliable source, and you should trust her intentions."

 

He whacked Blinky with his staff as he felt a gaggletack brush his arm. "I am _no changeling_ , you idiot. She swore on Heartstone, Blinkous!"

 

"Um…question, what does that even mean?" Toby asked as Blinky openly gaped at Vendel.

 

"It means, Tobias, that whatever she said while touching the Heartstone, was truth. No living creature - human, troll, changeling, so on - can lie while touching Heartstone."

 

"What happens if someone tries to lie?" Claire asked.

 

"A most horrible and painful, though almost instant death." Blinky answered.

 

Vendel nodded snorted. "Indeed."

 

"It takes about seven seconds for a human to die from it, fun fact." Came a soft voice from behind Vendel. "Well, not fun for the liars, but you know. Facts. Woo." All eyes turned to rest on the newest addition to the room as she walked in. "Also, Draal said he was going to take over for…'Not-Enrique'? I think he said. Watching the bridge for signs of the Trollhunter."

 

"Finished already, Sorceress?" Vendel asked, leaning over the petite, robed figure.

 

"Sure am, can you take these? Draal said there were three others unbroken but slain by Creeper Sun. Just pour it on their heads, and give it about five minutes."

 

"And if it _doesn't_ work?" At Vendel's question, the air in the room seemed to pulse.

 

"Do I need to swear my _skills_ on your damn staff too? You all do know there's _a Trollhunter_ in the _Darklands_ , right?" She snapped in response, the softness in her voice gone. "At least _two_ of you in this room know _exactly what I am_. I get that I'm probably beyond a last resort for you all, well past 'plan z', but _I_ want the Trollhunter back, seeing as if he dies, _I_ die as well!" There was a moment of unease, looks of various stages of shame decorating the faces in the room.

 

"You are correct, Keeper, I apologize for our poor attitudes. It has been a… _very_ trying week on us all, between the battle with Angor Rot and Jim going into the Darklands alone." Blinky apologized, stepping over to stand in front of her. "May we start over? I am Blinky, trainer of Jim Lake, the Trollhunter." He bowed, all four hands raised in a gesture of peace.

 

"I shall go see to the others that require your potion, Keeper," Vendel muttered, bowing his head ever so slightly, before making what could almost be considered a quick escape. Toby and Claire introduced themselves as well.

 

"As I said before, I'm Naomi," as she re-introduced herself, Naomi placed the Creeper Sun cure in one of Blinky's hands. "If you would do the honors, Master Blinky? And while we wait for it to work, I will answer any questions you all have, provided I be able to ask some as well."

 

"You can actually do _magic_?" Toby asked immediately, bouncing on  his heels.

 

"TP, I can do magic. And you have a magic hammer. Why is _that_ your question?" Claire asked, amused. Toby rolled his eyes.

 

" _No_ , you use a magical staff to conjure portals. My hammer has a spell stuck on it by trolls. We've heard about Merlin, yeah, but we have yet to see any actual, living humans do magic, Claire!" He looked back at Naomi, who shrugged.

 

"Magic is part of who I am. Yes, I can 'do magic', several kinds, in fact. There's different bases for magic, but it takes a heck of a long time to break it down," she answered, staring at them through the magic shroud. "How old are you two?"

 

"Sixteen, same as Jim," Claire answered, earning what could only be described as a shocked head-tilt from Naomi.

 

"Sixteen? The Amulet chose a teenager?  Surely that didn't go over well with the Trolls?" she asked hesitantly.

 

"Well, no one ever seemed to care about how old Jim is. Just that he was a human," Toby answered. "Even Draal was really upset to begin with. He tried to kill Jim and everything."

 

"Yes, Draal mentioned that. He didn't go into details, but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess it's because he thought the Amulet should have gone to him, as Kanjigar no doubt implied to would, based off a hunch he had." She looked over at Blinky, who was muttering under his breath as all six of his eyes stared intently at Arrrgh, who - though still stone- was glowing slightly. "You're going to want to take a step back, Master Blinky. Once the glow fades, he will be able to move again."

 

"Not that we aren't grateful for you making a cure for Arrrgh, but how did you know _how_ to make a cure for something Trolls thought was a death sentence?" Claire asked.

 

"My grandfather knew the creator of the creeper sun, and at the time of her death, took her notes for safekeeping. I figured knowing how to brew the cure could be useful, when my time as Keeper came. Nice to know I wasn't wrong."  
 

Claire looked thoughtful. "What exactly _is_ a Keeper? No one's even mentioned them until today."

 

"The Keepers were created to be a magical balance for the Trollhunter. It's…hard to explain, beyond that. We are designed to be another tool at the Trollhunter's disposal, much like the amulet itself. I am to be whatever the Trollhunter needs - a magical shield, and extra set of hands in a fight, a source of knowledge, blah blah blah...  While there has only been one Trollhunter to turn away his Keeper, due to the fact that four Keepers have been Changelings, we are often looked down on by the general Troll population. A lot of trolls feel that Keepers are a weakness, and lead the Trollhunter to an early death on the regular."

 

"How are the Keepers chosen? Did something magical call out your name like the amulet did to Jimbo? And how do you find out who the Trollhunter is?"

 

Naomi shook her head. "We're not really chosen - we're born into it. It is said that Merlin created the first Keeper purely from magic, as his true love was unable to give him children. All Keepers descend from this one, magically created person, even the ones who ended up as changelings. If we are born to be called to Keeper, it is etched on our skin from the moment we are born."

 

Claire and Toby exchanged a confused look. "What does that even-"

 

However, before the question could be completed, Blinky let out a yelp of excitement as he was lifted off the ground and into Arrrgh's embrace.

 

***

 

Arrrgh wasn't sure how, but he was definitely alive. The four-armed troll wrapped up in his arms and the two humans hugging him proved that, and he could honestly say he was glad to be alive - still? Again? Whichever word fit better. But there was something wrong.

 

"Where's Jim?" he asked the three clinging to him, as he looked down at their faces, blue light reflecting from the amulet on his chest.

 

_Wait._

 

Arrrgh could feel his blood run cold as he stared at the amulet in horror. _Oh no!_

 

"Jim went into the Darklands by himself, so no one else would get hurt," Toby answered. Then, seeing the panic on Arrrgh's face, he quickly added, "but now we're pretty sure he's definitely alive!"

 

"How?" Arrrgh demanded, finally putting Blinky back on the ground, as Toby and Claire stepped back.

 

"Because a Keeper dies when their Trollhunter does." Blinky supplied softly, gesturing with two of his hands towards a different part of the room. Arrrgh's gaze followed the direction of the gesture, setting on the robed figure.

 

A Keeper. _Jim's_ Keeper. Arrrgh took a deep breath, mulling it over. Blinky had sworn he wouldn't tell Jim of the Keepers, so how-

 

_Hold on a minute_.

 

Arrrgh took another deep breath, marveling briefly at his heightened sense of smell, before focusing on what had caught his attention. The scent of the keeper… He knew that scent. But surely it was impossible…

 

"My grandfather spoke highly of you," the Keeper said as she stepped forward. "Though he did tell me he regretted never contacting you after he defected."

 

"Your grandfather knew Arrrgh?" Claire asked, surprised.

 

"Yeah, a very long time ago," she answered, waving a hand dismissively. "It's a long story. And now that we've got your friend un-sunned, we still have a Trollhunter to collect."

 

Arrrgh couldn't help but agree. "Have a plan?" he asked. The Keeper shook her head.

 

"Nah. But," she pointed at the amulet, "I bet the dead Trollhunters do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say, sorry for the delayed update. Had a bit of writer's block - where I wanna be in this story is about three chapters ahead, I just have to fill in the space between. :) And thank you to everyone for the comments and kudos! It's really encouraging, and really pushes me to keep writing. <3 Thanks for the love~


	5. Five - Success and Failure

Jim Lake Junior ached in places he hadn't ached ever before. He was exhausted, filthy, and in desperate need of a nap lasting several days. Oh, a nice peaceful nap sounded so _wonderful…_

 

The scraping of Gumm-Gumm armor against stone close behind him and the sharp cry of the bundled baby in his arms snapped him back to reality. He had never run so fast or long in his life. He had to keep going though - he was _so close_!

 

He dashed around a corner, lodging his sword in a nearby wall in hopes of gaining himself even a few more seconds as he closed in on the bridge.

 

 _'So close, just a little further, you aren't dead, you have Claire's brother…._ ' he chanted over and over again in his head as the bridge came into view. Just a few hundred feet and he would be back with his friends-

 

A loud crack echoed through the Darklands as Killahead Bridge cracked, bits of the bridge breaking off and swirling around the portal within. Jim let out a gasp and paused, costing himself a few precious seconds as he stared in horror, before taking off again, pushing himself to go faster.

 

" _NO! WAIT!_ We're right here!" He screamed as he closed in on the Bridge, and the Gumm-Gumms closed in on him. There, in the swirling vortex of the portal, he could see Claire reaching for him, calling his name. He grabbed her hand-

 

Only to feel a large hand wrap around his shoulders and yank him backwards, away from Claire.

 

Away from the Bridge.

 

The Bridge that was his only way home, and currently falling apart before his eyes, the portal closing.

 

He surged forward, dragging the Gumm-Gumm holding him towards the portal. He would never forgive himself if he failed in getting Enrique back. So, with the last of his energy, he got himself as close to the collapsing portal as he could, before tossing the swaddled baby the last few feet.

 

Enrique disappeared into the portal, and as Killahead collapsed before his eyes, he collapsed as well, all his energy drained and gone with this simultaneous success and failure. He could only stare at the crumbled Bridge as he was dragged away.

 

***

 

Naomi stood, silently fuming as she watched the destruction of the Killahead Bridge in the mirror in her hand. She and Arrrgh were still in Blinky's library - she had almost resorted to magic to keep him from rushing off with the others. Not-Enrique had brought word of Usurna heading to destroy the bridge, and they had almost gotten the Trollhunter back…

 

"You," Arrrgh's voice came from over her shoulder, disappointment and a hint of anger in his rough voice, "could have helped." He was old enough to know the power that Keepers could wield - he'd seen several come and go during his days as a Gumm-Gumm, and Deya's Keeper had been the brilliant force behind the Killahead Bridge to begin with. He could even remember arguing against Blinky's decision to not tell Jim about the Keepers. Having this Keeper seemingly refuse to help a Trollhunter…

 

"If I had, my involvement would have been exposed to Usurna, and that's a risk I cannot take until I know where her loyalties lie." Naomi turned,  looking up at Arrrgh. "My grandfather once told me he trusted Bular and Gunmar more than he trusted Usurna. Though he never told me _why_ he distrusted her, he said at least Bular and Gunmar would be totally honest about their terribleness."

 

She ran her right hand over the mirror, banishing the image of the broken bridge from its surface. "As upset as I am that Usurna is a nutjob that trapped the Trollhunter in the Darklands, I think I have an idea as to what the past Trollhunters plan to do, and why they need you. But it's going to have to be done carefully, and I don't think Usurna can know about you being alive yet."

 

Arrrgh felt something shift in his gut. He hesitated, before asking, "Grandfather…Krilnor?" Naomi's soft smile was all the confirmation he needed. Krilnor had never been wrong about deceit within anyone - of any species. If he found Usurna to be untrustworthy… it could mean terrible things for the Krubera.

 

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. There were other, more pressing problems. Like rescuing Jim. "Have plan?"

 

"We need to get you to the Soothscryer, so we can hear the plan the Council has come up with. Hopefully, it's useful and not a load of crap. We need to be careful though, maybe wait until things settle down in Trollmarket for the day."

 

***

 

Several hours later, Claire returned to Trollmarket with a heavy heart. Jim had succeeded - her baby brother was currently being doted on by her parents. But Jim had failed to escape the Darklands himself - he had slipped out of her grasp, literally. She felt like she had failed, too. Even enlisting Not-Enrique's help hadn't done much to help the darkness creeping across her heart.

 

She joined Toby in Heartstone Trollmarket, and they made their way to Blinky's library. Lost in her own thoughts, she almost missed Vendel exiting as they neared. Once inside, they found Blinky and Arrrgh staring at the doorway, lost in their own thoughts. Draal was there as well, staring worriedly at Naomi, who was quietly banging her head on the wall.

 

"Uh, you guys? Hello?" Toby asked, waving his arms in front of Blinky and Arrrgh's faces.

 

"The Tribunal has moved Killahead," Blinky answered softly, snapping out of his daze.  "There will be no way to reach Jim without the Bridge."

 

Toby glanced at Claire nervously. "Yeah uh, we kinda heard about that when we left earlier…"

 

A flutter of hope danced in Claire's mind. "We actually got Not-Enrique to agree to help! He's stowing in one of the boxes, and I can use him as an emotional anchor to find them."

 

"You need a safe place to move the pieces once you find them," Naomi said, glancing over, head resting against the wall.

 

Toby jumped up and down. "Oh! I know! The forest outside of town! We could bring the pieces there! It's far enough out of the way that no one should find it."

 

"We will have to make our move once we know the pieces of the Bridge are moving, and out of Usurna's reach." Blinky said thoughtfully.

 

"I will scout the forest for a safe spot," Draal offered, headed towards the door. Toby and Claire joined him, already talking about a few spots that might work. Once they were gone, Naomi looked at Blinky, before looking at Arrrgh.

 

"We need to get to the Soothscryer. We have dead Trollhunters we need to talk to." Both trolls nodded. With a wave of magic, all  three were hidden from prying eyes, and they quickly made their way to the Hero's Forge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanna say, THANK YOU to everyone that has left kudos or comments over the months where I have been inactive in posting updates for this. I have a ton of ideas, it's just getting from where it's at to those points is a real pain in the writer's block. 
> 
> But you all are awesome, and I wanna thank you all for keeping me from losing all motivation to write. Every note from you all actually helped me to sit down and write. <3
> 
> Hopefully, it won't be such a ridiculous break before the next chapter. I aim to do better, especially since Jim is almost home!


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